Australia? shares up 0.3 percent

MELBOURNE: Australian shares climbed 0.3 percent on Tuesday to a six-week high as takeover activity in the resources sector and speculation more helped lift mining stocks.

Shortly before the market closed, the Australian government said it was inclined to reject the Singapore Exchange Ltd proposed $7.8 billion takeover bid for Australian stock-exchange operator ASX on national interest grounds.

That knocked shares in ASX down 3.3 percent to A$33.70, on heavy volume of 3.6 times an average day.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 13.3 points to 4,900.1, according to latest available data.